Organisations that continue to take a wait-and-see approach risk falling behind competitors that are prepared to make informed, calculated decisions.

BDO surveyed 500 senior executives worldwide, for its Global Risk Landscape 2026 report,  the report which highlighted a clear shift: risk management must move beyond specialist teams and become a shared responsibility across the organisation.

It added business leaders increasingly believe the global risk landscape is defined by crisis. Eight in ten executives say organisations are operating in an environment shaped by disruption, while 68% report that crises are impacting their businesses faster than in previous years.

At the same time, companies are recognising that excessive caution can be a risk in itself. The report shows a growing number of organisations are willing to take calculated risks when necessary, reflecting the reality that standing still can mean losing market share, growth opportunities, or long-term viability.

Alisa Voznaya Partner and Head of Risk Consulting, BDO UK explained: “The pace of change means businesses can no longer just sit on the sidelines and wait for conditions to improve they must be ready to act decisively and take calculated risks even when the path ahead may be unclear.

“The problem is that many organisations are still functioning with a risk management approach that is too narrow and theoretical to effectively act.”

She added: “Business leaders do recognise the concerning state of risk today and going forward. Eight in ten business leaders say that the global risk landscape is now more defined by crisis than ever before. However, many struggle to move faster because risk management is still handled by specialist teams in isolation, limiting the field of view and slowing the speed of decision-making.

“The strategic cost of slow action, or even inaction, is no longer just missed business opportunities: organisations’ survival is potentially on the line if they are unable to make timely and proactive risk decisions. Risk aversion, in other words, becomes a risk in itself. To navigate this unstable new world, businesses must move away from traditional risk management silos and instead embrace a future where risk ownership is shared via a holistic approach.

“This ensures organisations can get a more joined up view of what is happening in the risk landscape and how multiple threats interact with different parts of the business, enabling smarter, more coordinated decision-making. This report explores how cross-functional risk ownership can drive better outcomes and give businesses the confidence to take proactive risks where it matters most.”

The report added the cost of standing still in times of crisis is no longer just a case of missing new business opportunities. For many businesses, this is now about their long-term survival. More than two thirds of business leaders (68%) agree that the speed at which crises are impacting their organisations is increasing, up from 54% a year ago. Proactive risk management is becoming less common percentage who say their risk management is “very proactive”.

The risk of inaction is not solely driven by the frequency of crises either. It is equally shaped by the pace of change in the world at large, accelerated by forces such as AI. Amid this instability, organisations increasingly recognise that traditional risk management approaches are not fit for purpose: to survive, they need to take more calculated risks. 29%

“For some businesses, this is existential,” added Voznaya. “If they do not take the risks now, there will not be a business. So those organisations that have typically been risk averse are having to revise their approach, otherwise they are just not going to be around in the future.”

The report concluded: “It is only by embedding risk management into operational processes across functions that organisations can enhance risk awareness, while also getting a clearer understanding of their overall risk position.

“This helps organisations remain agile enough to take calculated risks at the right time, ensuring business leaders can act decisively even in an era of heightened uncertainty. But agility requires clarity. Organisations that define their risk appetite upfront are better positioned to distinguish between risks worth taking and those requiring mitigation, rather than defaulting to blanket caution.

“This approach is effectively a new operating model, where risk is not an enemy to be avoided but a commercial enabler that can be turned into a competitive advantage.”